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Topic: Splinter (Read 49738 times)

So, this is quite a long video (13minutes). But if you want to know a good deal about Splinter, this is the single most informative "anything" that i have created, to date. This vid lacks "standard" looking utilitarian icons, but that does not mean that Arkham Edition is not just as utilitarian as Addition and Icon-ic Editions.

Splinter's closest "relative" would be Flash. However, whereas Flash is designed to allow for the creation of "anything" over the net, Splinter is designed to allow for the creation of "anything" within the desktop environment.

I do not consider AIR to be something to compare to Splinter or Flash.

Splinter, also, allows for Flash to be seamlessy integrated into the desktop environment, when it is converted into a standalone, windowless EXE, and hotlinked to a trigger or splicon.

Splinter is much more imagery driven in its creation process and, therefore, far simpler for the "average" end user to create with. Spli-scripting would be the comparison to ActionScript, however, with only 7 commands, "anyone" can learn to do, and learn to do, easily.

The sole reason that Splinter uses still images is because that is what "works" within the UDE. People, in general, do not want frame by frame animation, repeating itself, over and over, as the "wallpaper". Splicons are designed to open in an appealing way and then, either, stop in a position that blends them into the wallpaper background, or turns them into icons for hotlinking.

With the advent of the touch screens, would Splinter start to almost turn the desktop into a giant iPad? I mean, if there's all these touch points, you just make them 99% transparent, then it's almost like using an iOS app right?

With the advent of the touch screens, would Splinter start to almost turn the desktop into a giant iPad? I mean, if there's all these touch points, you just make them 99% transparent, then it's almost like using an iOS app right?

Yes, absolutely correct. I had envisioned touchscreen from the beginning. Truth is, i envisioned OLED walls, in a home. Walking down the hall and touching various points along the way. Click something at the beginning, something based on that would appear in the middle, with options. Then, click one of those, something down at the end, for your final decision(basic explanation, much more in depth. But I designed Splinter based on my vision of the future of technology, not necessarily for today's current sit)

That is great. Splinter will only improve it, more, if you let it. It NEVER changes anything, unless you want it to. Since it is only a hotlinker, at core, it doesn't have the "ability" to get in the way. Hotlinking , alone, allows for the creation of interactive games, stories, educational interfaces, info portals, spli-sites, and, of course, icon "docks". Every interactive ANYTHING, if you think about it, is just a hot link. Click this, something happens. Splinter is that taken to its most basic level, which is why "anyone" can create with it.

The only way to create something similar to a splinterface is with another programming language. The thing is, not only would you have to be a coder to do so, but you would be limited to THAT "splinterface" creation as the output. Imagery is the only way to allow every end user to create complex software outputs without the need for complex algorithms based on code input.

I am going to create documentation based on Mouser's FARR documentation, as it was recommended by oblivion. If anyone else has any tips on docs or other docs I should look at, based on Splinter's app type, I would appreciate the advice. Thanks

That's not quite what I suggested, for any concerned mousers. What I said was: you have no documentation, you need some, here's an example of good practice in the field, doing something along those lines might be a good idea!

That's not quite what I suggested, for any concerned mousers. What I said was: you have no documentation, you need some, here's an example of good practice in the field, doing something along those lines might be a good idea!

At its core, it is a file launcher, icon dock, stack docklet, wallpaper flipper and a visual style editor, all rolled into one. Splinter further enhances their functionalities by combining them within each other.

There are three main branches of Splinter. Triggers, splicons, and pages.It uses "base" icons called triggers and are like borderless dock icons similar to Magic Formation. However, triggers have the ability to, have any file folder or app hotlinked to them, open any png file as a hotlinkable splicon, and run internal scripts that can link hundreds of splicon and trigger abilities together with pages(standard Windows wallpapers), accessing them at a specific pace in a set order, called splicon sequences. They can appear as any image, including APNGs, and are called triggers because they initiate splicons.

Splicons are static png files that are 'splanimated' when its parent trigger is activated. they open from a fixed location and size and end at another location and size. Notice how similar their, overall, 'animation' abilities are to the way icon stacks open. It is because the first splicons were just icon stacks with character images instead of folder icons. These splicons can be hotlinked to any file or folder or app or web page and are at the bottom z-order, so that they appear as your wallpaper, all other windows appearing above them. They are dynamic, real-time, and forever editable still imagery in motion. They occur in quick bursts as they are 100% designed to be icons, not animation. They stop and assume a position of a perfectly blended in hidden hot link "within" your wallpaper, as you cannot tell the splicons from the background.

Pages are standard Windows wallpapers that are able to be named and, therefore, linked within splicon sequences with the "goto" command. Using them within splicon sequences allows you to create interactive stories, with the scenery changing by simply flipping to a new page(standard wallpaper)

By linking these three branches with each other, in various ways, it gains many new abilities that are unique to Splinter.

It allows you to create and share any type of icon dock. As well as any type of stack docklet, from scratch. Splinter's docks are not bound by any boundaries or templates, as is the case with many docks.

It is a visual programming "language" that is simple to create with and use, as most of the creation is done by dragging images around the screen and setting them in starting(closed) and ending(opened) positions

It links (spl)icons with wallpapers for seamless environment integration. It allows for the placement of numerous "hidden" and/or relevant file or web links. Essentially allowing for the wallpaper to appear hot linked.

It allows you to create very dynamic and interactive desktop interfaces that ara fundamentally utilitarian in functionality, but can be as artistic as the splinterface creator or end user desire.

It allows for more possible permutations of different ways your desktop can look and function, than anything else. A google times a google times 1 trillion possible permutations of desktop looks, just with one splinterface, alone.

It allows for the averange end user to create complex software outputs called splinterfaces, which are dynamic imagery driven desktop interfaces

okay, so this is truly cosmetic, with no functionality at all, if I understood wellthe "next generation desktop interface" was misleading in my case, since I am constantly looking for an innovative "functional interface"

okay, so this is truly cosmetic, with no functionality at all, if I understood wellthe "next generation desktop interface" was misleading in my case, since I am constantly looking for an innovative "functional interface"

Hi, no disrespect. But you did not, at all, understand it. My fault. Splinter is NOTHING but utilitarian. It is the utilitarian functionality that ALLOWS for all the other cool stuff to happen.

That is the "magic"

I am more than happy to prove it, in any way you desire. Just tell me what you want to see, I will provide it. Trying to get documentation done, just having a bit of trouble being concise.

Also, it is the dictionary definition of a visual programming language , as well as a "desktop app". Can't get much more "functional" than that. The "easiest" software creation platform, on Earth, and the only one that 'average" end users can create with.

Perhaps if I knew what you "saw" so far, i can point to better information. I am just saying that if you tell me exactly what functionalities you want, Splinter can make happen in AT LEAST one way, possibly more. Whatever the functionality is.

okay, if I understood well, Splinter can do anything in regards to user-GUI interaction

can I close windows by clicking their taskbar buttons with right click and open the relevant context menu (which normally pops up when right clicking on taskbar buttons) by holding control and right click?

okay, if I understood well, Splinter can do anything in regards to user-GUI interaction

can I close windows by clicking their taskbar buttons with right click and open the relevant context menu (which normally pops up when right clicking on taskbar buttons) by holding control and right click?

Hi. Splinter does not interfere with the Windows shell, at all So it does not have anything to do with the function you ask about. It, more or less, acts as a front end for Explorer (and the net). It "only" hot links files, folders, apps, etc to triggers and splicons and then links triggers and splicons to each other and pages. (wallpapers)

C'mon Tao. Make me sweat. Throw down the gauntlet. Challenge me, as before. Truth is, as I just said to Oblivion, I had never thought to use Splinter in exactly the same way you used it. That was the best part about it.

Shoot me another "something" that you want to have the ability to do or you want done. As far as DIRECT dialogue, you are one of, maybe 5 people, in the past year, that has shown me that they can begin to see the desktop environment the "way it truly is". I doubt that it is a coincidence that, for many years, I had a black desktop and standard icons as well. I think it is something fundamental about how we see it. As JUST, and ONLY utilitarian.

I dont see the "artsy" type splinterfaces as "artsy" I see them as nothing but utilitarian that is SO utilitarian that it allows for art to conform around its purpose. I think that most "desktop customizers"(the people, I mean), look at utility after their customization areas. Wrong route. For both them and the software.

NOW, i say this because you came up with several different ways to use Splinter, by initial understanding. And I believe that the only way that could have occurred is if you understood the completely utilitarian ability of hotlinking and function blending that would allow those other things to happen. See what I mean?

It is the understanding of utility functionality that LEADS to the understanding of "what is possible"...

And, while it MAY be true that this is understood by many on here, you are the only one that has given me really well thought out and valuable feedback and questions and requests (other than Oblivion. But he is more like the big meany head making me do all the boring stuff like eat my veggies aka do documentation so that "everyone" can understand or enjoy it. He is right, of course. But it doesn't mean that broccoli tastes good)...

So, Tao, cmon................You said "curses, round one goes to the developer". Well, I think I got round two, three, and four, also. Let us go 10. Every round I win only benefits you, so..................

EDIT----I will leave the video up, but I am going to create a better one. This will show you the basics of trigger use and linking splicons in scripts to create animated sequences. Very basic Splinter stuff. Nothing advanced. This does NOT provide enough info to make "complex" splinterfaces, as I state below. Disregard, generally everything below, in red.

A video NOT for "weekend warrior" / less motvated potential Splinter users. 28 mnutes long If you watch it you "should" have the necessary understanding of Splinter functionality and ways to link things to create very in depth splintefaces[/b]

This is a step by step from first launch to an entire page creation with multiple splicons and splicon sequences set up through scripts.

The images below show context menus and configuration windows and the definition and functionality of the buttons. Any advice on how to resize the images which can then be clicked for the larger image?Tasktray Icon Properties